Chakmas stage protest in New Delhi against attacks on minorities in Bangladesh

Guwahati: Hundreds belonging to Chakma tribe in India staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday against the "organised attacks" on the indigenous hill tribes on September 19 and 20 in Bangladesh, in which at least five persons were reportedly killed and several houses were burnt.

A statement issued by the protesters said the indigenous hill people have been facing "isolated and sporadic acts of racial discrimination and violence" in plain districts of Bangladesh especially in Chittagong, Dhaka and Savar areas in the outskirts of Dhaka. Those who faced harassment work in the export processing zones. It has become impossible for the indigenous peoples to go out in the plain areas, they said.

Founder of Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) and prominent human rights activist, Suhas Chakma, sought tough action by India against Bangladesh to stop such atrocities on minority Hindus, Buddhists and Christians.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi must decide to stop export of essential and industrial products such as food products, fuels and energy products and industrial raw materials including for the garments industry, construction materials to Bangladesh until violence against the minorities are addressed and accountability is established in each case of attacks on the religious minorities. Otherwise, Bangladesh will turn into East Pakistan and there shall be no place for indigenous hill people of the CHTs and the religious minorities in the entire Bangladesh," Suhas Chakma said.

They said that minorities were attacked following the death of a thief in CHT but the wife of the victim said that he died due to attack by a Muslim.

"As the organized attacks upon the indigenous peoples on a false pretext were carried out by the illegal settlers and the Bangladesh Army personnel, it is possible that foreign Islamic terrorists are involved in the attacks on the indigenous hill people. The involvement of Pakistan’s ISI and Islamic terrorists cannot be ruled out," said CDFI director, Tejang Chakma.

Members of several organisations representing the indigenous Chakma and other communities in Tripura also staged a protest on Saturday and urged India to take a tough stand against Bangladesh on the issue. They claimed atrocities on the minorities increased after Sheikh Hasina's government was toppled.